Officials set out the development plans for the coastal city of Zhanjiang in Guangdong province for the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20) at a news conference in Beijing on March 6. The meeting was attended by the city's mayor, Wang Zhongbing.

The conference was held as part of the fourth session of China's 12th National People's Congress (NPC) and was attended by Guangdong's NPC deputies and 225 representatives from 110 media outlets.

During the meeting, Mayor Wang expressed his determination to build Zhanjiang into an economic hub in the Beibu Gulf Rim and laid out four action points to achieve this.

The construction of transportation infrastructure and major industrial projects will be sped up, according to the officials. The development of Haidong New District and urban transformation projects will also be prioritized by the government.

Officials revealed that the first phase of the South Sea Valley project will be completed by the year's end. They also said that the government will focus on an innovation-driven development strategy to construct more high-tech zones in the city and support more entrepreneurs.

Under the guidance of the National Belt and Road Initiative, the city government will encourage more enterprises to invest in ASEAN countries and strengthen cooperation with them to help Zhanjiang integrate into the Beibu Gulf area.

Authorities hope to raise the standard of living among residents of Zhanjiang during the 13th five-year period by improving public services and accelerating its poverty alleviation work. Funding for basic education and medical care is expected to be increased during the period.

During the news conference, the mayor said that he hoped Hedi Reservoir would be listed as a pilot site under national protection to strengthen the government's efforts in protecting the environment.

Zhanjiang Mayor Wang Zhongbing delivers a speech as a deputy of the fourth session of the 12th NPC, during a news conference on March 6. [Photo/Zhanjiang.gov.cn]